Research on qanats in Spain

Abstract

Different types of drainage galleries exist in Span: mina de agua, qanat, cimbra or tajea and galleries associated with a groundwater dam (buried in the bed of the channel to stop sub-surface circulation). A qanat is a type of drainage gallery located in the foothills where groundwater is captured. Qanats, also called galerias con lumbreras, minados con espejuelos, viajes de agua, or alcavons in Spain, can be seen as models for sustainable use of water in arid and semi-arid environments. Furthermore, in their local contexts, these hydraulic systems create their own landscapes and hydraulic heritage. As such, the technique is the basis for new ways of thinking about how to generate water in dry environments like the Southeast of Spain. There are several groups of Spanish researchers studying qanats and other types of horizontal wells as systems being able to generate endogenous water resources. Because of their extensive and continuous research over a number of years, the teams from the Universities of Murcia and Valencia stand out.